Hat construction and method and apparatus for making the same



A. E. HODSHON Filed March 25, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l H INVENTOR Afred fiilfoclsfion W, 7PM

ATTORNEYS Jan. 23, 1934.

HAT CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME Jan. 23, 1934. A. E. HODSHON HAT CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed March 25. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 may INVENTOR ggv E [1 0015501 fi v flwiti/ ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 23, 1934 PATENT OFFICE HAT CONSTRUCTIGN AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME 14 Claims.

This invention relates to hat construction, particularly of fur felt, and to a method and apparatus for making the same. Gne of the objects of this invention is to provide a practical and durable yet light hat construction that will be well adapted to meet the varying conditions of hard practical use. Another object is to provide a so-called soft hat construction that may be readily and inexpensively fabricated and which will maintain reliably its contour or shape without embodying therein various disadvantages inherent in prior hat construction. Another object is to provide a hat construction of the above-mentioned character in which the contour and shape of the brim may be dependably achieved initially and in which the mechanical construction of the brim and its interrelation with the crown are such that maintenance, during use, of such shape and contour will be reliably achieved. Another ob- ,iect is to provide a brim construction for a hat that will have a mechanically perfect and symmetrical brim-edge and which will be capable of inexpensive and thoroughly practical fabrication.

Another object is to provide a simple, inexpensive and thoroughly practical method of making a hat construction of the above-mentioned character and to provide a method or art that may be efiiciently carried on in practice. Another object is to provide a method of hat fabrication in which various heretofore necessary steps may be eliminated and many thoroughly practical advantages achieved. Another object is to provide an inexpensive and thoroughly practical apparatus for carrying on various of the steps of the above-mentioned method or art. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and in the'several steps and relation and order of each of the same to one or more of the others, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown a preferred embodiment of the mechanical features of my invention, v

Figure l is a side elevation of two block members or parts, shown detached from each other, that are used in certain steps of my method;

Figure 2 is a plan view as seen along the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view as seen along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 but with the component parts shown separated;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of a form of hat body or hat hood with which I preferably start in practicing my method;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view indicating the mechanical interrelation between said parts in one step of my method;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view showing various subsequent steps;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view showing the hat body in a subsequent stage;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view showing the hat body interrelated to certain further apparatus;

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional View showing the hat body in a subsequent stage;

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View through a portion of the crown and brim of the completed hat body illustrating certain mechanical features of the resultant hat construction;

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the crown and brim showing a possible modified form of construction, and

Figures 13 and 14 are views similar to that of igure 12 but showing other possible modified embodiments of certain aspects of my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of my invention, it might at this point he noted that in hat construction, particularly of fur felt mens hats of the better or finer qualities, it has heretofore been virtually impossible or impracticable to achieve permanence of shape and contour unless, as has been heretofore proposed, cumbersome and unreliable expedients are resorted to. Particularly in light.- weight hats it has been impossible to achieve ermanence of shape and contour of particularly the brim without, for example, resorting to such treatment of the material of the brim, as by stifiening it or embodying in it so-called sizing, as necessarily and at once deprives the hat of the desired softness of texture. It has also heretofore been proposed to provide in a fur felt hat a so-called formed brim edge as contrasted with a cut edge but such proposals are virtually im-. practicable inasmuch as it is a physical impossibility to maintain, during the various steps in treating the hat body, symmetry and satisfactorily ion geometric contour of the brim edge. One of the dominant aims of this invention is to provide a hat construction and a method and apparatus for achieving the same in which such disadvantage and deficiencies as those just pointed out may be reliably overcome and to provide a hat construction that can be made light and soft and yet have and dependably maintain not merely per ection of brim edge but also perfection of brim contour as well as perfection of interrelation between crown and brim.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1, I have there shown in side elevation but separated from each other two parts A and B preferably made of wood and having certain peculiarities of shape, construction, and interrelation. The part A is virtually a socalled hat block eing oval in horizontal cross-- section and being dimensioned and shaped to correspond substantially to the ultimate contour which the crown of the resultant hat is desired to have. On its under surface and along its major axis the block or mold member A is provided with tapered recesses l0-ll. adapted, during a subsequent stage in the process as hereinafter described in detail to receive respectively the up standing pins or pegs l2-13 of the block or mold member B, thereby to insure the desired or intended interrelation between the parts A and B.

The part B is, in horizontalcross-section, generally oval-shaped, and its upper face is (see Fig ures 1 and 2) is oval-shaped to match. exactly the bottom face 15 of the block A, and moreover both faces (i l and 15) are preferably curved (see Figure 1) to give the ultimate hat the desired scope, and thus block A may neatly mate with the part B when block A is superimposed thereon, the pins 12-13 and the recesses 1()-l1 insuring that the vertical axis of the block A coincides with the vertical axis of the part B.

Still referring to Figure 1, the parts B, from its upper oval-shaped face 14, tapers or slants downwardly and outwardly to provide an annular surface or face 16 which is substantially frustoconical, the base of the cone of which it is a frustum being oval-shaped rather than circular (though, depending upon the ultimate results I might desire, the parts A and B might well be individually or both circular in horizontal crosssection.)

The radial extent or dimension of the surface 16 is dependent, as is made clearer hereinafter, upon the width of brim which the ultimate haiconstruction is to have and from the lowermost and peripheral edge of the surface 16, the part- B tapers and. slants downwardly and inwardly againto provide a i'rusto-conical surface indicated in Figure l at 1'2; but the radial extent or dimension of the surface 17 is greater than that of the frusto-conical surface 16, as appears clearly from Figure 1, terminating now in a sur .face 18 which is geometrically similar but smaller than the lower or band portion 19 of the upper block part A. The parts 18 and 19 might be considered as cylinders generated by respective elements which are parallel to each other but moving along geometrically similar ovals, the element generating the band portion 19 moving along an oval like that indicated at 14 in Figure 2 while the element generting the oval cylinder 18 moves along a smaller oval indicated at 18 in Figure 2.

Extending about the lower portion of the part 18 is a peripheral groove 20, the purpose of which will be pointed out hereinafter; the lower portion 21 of the part B may be of any desired or suitable shape and serves as a sort of pedestal whereby the assembled members A and B may be rested upon a suitable table or work bench or secured in place (if desired), while certain operations on the hat body are being carried on.

The lower part B, for reasons pointed out hereinafter, is made of several separable pieces or segments so arranged that the peripheral or outer segments may be moved toward th center or toward the vertical axis of the part B, thus virtually to collapse the part B itself. Illustratively, the part B is made up of five parts (Figures 2, 3 and a) better shown in Figure 4 where in plan view they are indicated as separated from each other in order to show their physical interrelation better.

These five segments comprise a central segment B a pair of opposed and equal or identical segments B and B and a pair of opposed segments 13' and B To better understand how the part B is thus subdivided into these illustrative five segments, the part B, referring now to Figure 2, might be considered as being out along vertical indicated by the lines o, c and of Figure 2. severance also appear clearly in Figure 3 which is a sectional view along the line 33 of Figure l and shows these planes of severance through the lower per the part B. The planes 2 and ,f of severnee, however, are inclined toward each other and to the vertical (see the planes e and f of Figure 4) with the result that the central section or segment B (Figure 4'), substautially square in horizontal cross-section, tapers; it can, there re, function as a wedge, being bounded by inclined planes or surfaces e and 3.

The four outer segments are each connected to the central segment by detachable dovetail joints; thus the four faces (Figures 3 and a) of central segment 5 have formed thereon or secured thereto vertically extending tenons or projections 22 of trapezoidal cross-section, havtheir greater horizontal dimension remote from the side face of the segment B Correspondingly, the inner faces of the segments B B B and B have vertically extending indentures or recesses 23, of trapezoidal crosssection, adapted to mate respectively with the tonons oi the central segment B he parts 232E-, moreover, are tapered in a vertical direction, increasing in width from the top to the bottom as appears clearly in Figure 1. Thus, by successively sliding the outer segments downwardly along the respective side faces of the central segment E the upper narrow ends of the tenons 22 enter the lower large ends of the recesses 23, the parts being so related that the parts 22 and 23 become snugly interfitted respective points such that the upper face of the various segments are dependably held in the cor inon plane of the face 14 above described in connection with Figure 1. By these tapered relations described, I enabled to achieve numerous practical advantages, some of v larly when it comes to disassembling the part B into its components in that these relations permit the central segment B to be easily drawn downwardly (as viewed in Figure 1) out of the lower part B, permitting the remainder of the part B to be collapsed as it were, for purposes pointed out later hereinafter;

Bearing in now the preferred embodi ment above described of certain of the mechani- These lines or planes oinch are pointed out hereinafter, particuits cal features of my invention, I then form, as by pneumatically or otherwise depositing feltable fur fibers onto a suitable form, and then suitably felting the fibers together and shrinking and bringing the bat down to a hood shaped somewhat as is indicated in Figure 5, the hood H being thus preferably somewhat rounded at its upper end and somewhat elongated, having a relatively small amount of flare or taper. The hood H is then worked onto the part A of Figure l, the part or block A being for this purpose preferably segregated or removed from the part B in order to facilitate this step in the operation. I may employ any suitable or heretofore known methods or apparatus for blocking the upper portion of the hood H of Figure 5 onto the block 10, preferably using steam and hence heat and moisture in the process to bring about, accompanied by appropriate working of the fur felt, a uniform and nice molding of the crown portion H (Figures 5 and 6) onto or about the block A.

Thus, the crown portion H is nicely and umformly molded to the block A and is given the shape and contour and scope (see curvature of face 15 as seen in Figure 1) of the block A, the latter being illustratively oval in horizontal crosssection.

Again referring to Figure 6, the block A with the hat hood thereon and with the surplus or skirt portion thereof turned upwardly is then placed upon the part B (see Figure '7) the pegs and recesses 12l0 and 13-11 (Figure 1) insuring that the parts A and B with their correlated curvatures and shapes are properly assembled and held in such proper assembled relation.

The hood H (Figure 7) and more particularly the upturned portion thereof is then steamed in order to make the fur felt fibers readily workable and the felt itself more yieldable to working, and the upturned skirt portion is brought down over the upper slanting frusto-conical face 16 of what I term for convenience the brim-mold portion 16-17, the fur felt of the hood being steamed when and where necessary and worked by hand to cause it to be laid neatly and with uniform thickness down upon and about the brim-mold surface 16; thus is formed an upper brim portion 11 of the ultimate hat. Moreover, due to the scope or curvature of the upper face 14 as viewed in Figure 1 of the brim-mold B and from which curved face 14 the surface 16 merges downwardly, the proper scope is also given to the pertinent parts of brim portion H Thereupon steam is again applied, particularly to the portions left protected down beyond the lower peripheral edge of the slanting face 16 of the brim-mold portion, and this projecting portion is worked to shrink it uniformly and to lay it neatly and with uniform thickness of texture against the under frusto-conical oval-shaped surface 1'7, heat and moistureas by steaming, being employed during this working of the fur felt fibers to tighten up and interfelt and shrink jtogether the fur fibers as the cylindrical portion 18 of the part B is approached. Thus, an underbrim portion H is molded and fabricated.

Then I apply a cord 24 tightly about the still remaining downwardly projecting portion of the hood H, applying the cord at the junction of the lower frusto-conical face 1'7 with the cylindrical surface 18. Also, I apply a cord 25 tightly about the hat bodyI-I at the juncture of the upper frustoconical face 16 with the band portion 19 of the upper block A; preferably, .however, cord 25 is applied just before the fur felt is worked down onto the upper frusto-conical face 16 as above described. The cords 25 and 24 thus dependably anchor the crown portion H and the upper and lower brim portions 11 and H each successively worked and molded as above described, to the mold AB and make certain that subsequent steps do not disturb the molding of these parts as thus achieved.

Still referring to Figure 7, the portion of the hat body H that projects downwardly below the cord 24 is steamed and worked to shrink it uniformly and closely against and around the portion 18 (Figure 1) of' the lower mold block B; this working and felting of the fur fibers with resultant uniform shrinkage is carried on to a sufficient extent in a downward direction, as viewed in Figures 1 and 5, to extend over and downwardly of the recess 20 (Figure 1) that extends peripherally about the lower portion of the part B. The portion between the cord 24 and the groove 20, I term for convenience, the inside-band portion and, bearing in mind the relative dimensions of the various portions of the moldparts A and B as described above in connection with Figure 1, this inside-band portion H will be seen to be conformed to the oval cylinder 18 (Figures 1 and 2) and to be thereby dimensioned smaller than the oval of the band portion 19 of the block A as is indicated by the oval 14 in Figure 2, this difference in size or dimensions being achieved by reason of the fact that the radial extent of the frusto-conical under-surface 17 of the brim-mold 16-17 (Figure 1) is greater than the radial extent of the upper frusto-conical face 16. Preferably I then apply a cord 26 below the groove 20, thus to anchor the shrunken innerband portion H It might at this point he pointed out that the felting of the fur felt as by working it as above described insures a genuine mechanical or structural interrelation of the fur fibers to form the peripheral apex H relatively sharply acuteangled as it is, at the junction of the upper brim part H and the lower brim part H More particularly, the steps of my process make it possible to achieve an interlocking or interfelting of the fur fibers at this apex in such a way that this apex overcomes the disadvantages of a fold; for example, I may thus avoid a bend in the fabrication for I am enabled to mold or interfelt the fur fibers into this sharply acute-angled relation, resulting in other advantages, some of which are pointed out hereinafter.

Having placed the cords 24 and 25, I prefer then to steam the entire hat body H and if necessary work its felt where and as necessary in order thus to bring about an additional shrinkage and a tightening up of the hat about and onto the mold AB, thus insuring that the hat body and its different parts dependably maintain shape.

Where I employ such additional steaming, such steaming might provide suificient dampness or moisture for the next preferred step, otherwise I suitably dampen the hat body and proceed to iron it throughout, ironing the crown H the upper brim portion H the lower brim portion H and the inside-band portion H Preferably the ironing is carried on with appropriate intensity and continued until the hat is virtually dry throughout.

The hat body, thus molded and shrunk upon and about the mold A-B :is now blocked in any suitable or desired way, by means understood or known in the art, and the hat is ready to be finished, that is, given any desired finish or surface. For example, the portions l-l H- and H may be pounced with any suitable grade or texture of sandpaper and the pouncing may be alternated by luring, using a suitable oil or grease and heat, as is not unusual, in the luring step or steps. The hat may again be dampened or watered and iron dry and may again be pounced and finally lured so as to lay the fibers (cut off during the sandpapering or pouncing) down in one direction, the assemblage of hat body H with the mold Ar -E (see Figure 7) being suitably rotated, if more convenient or if desired, during the pouncing and luring operations.

During the sandpapering or pouncing operation or operations, the thickness of the felt is somewhat reduced, due to the cutting off of projecting fur fibers, and it may at this point be noted that, with respect to the upper brim portion H and the lower brim portion H such cutting down of the thickness of the felt takes place only upon the outer surfaces, the inside surfaces of these parts being untouched; certain features resulting from this action on the brim parts H and H are more clearly pointed out later herein.

The hat body having thus been finished, the lower projecting portion, portion I-l" (Figure 7) is severed from the inner-band portion H the groove or recess 20 (Figure l) in the lower mold part B being used as a guide for the knife or other tool that is used to sever these, the line of severance being indicated in Figure 7 at 2'2.

Then the cords 25, 2d and 25 are removed and then the inner or center segment B (Figures li) of the lower mold part B is removed therefrom, the tapered relation between the dovetail connections 22-23 facilitating the disengagement of the center segment B from the remaining segments and this action is also greatly facilitated by the tapered structure of the center section 33 itself.

The center section B having thus been removed, segments B and B are now easily and successively removed, the removal of the center segment B providing adequate space into which the segments B and B may be successively removed to disengage the brim-mold portions thereof from within the acute-angle between the brim parts H and H (Figure '7) of the hat body. Segments B and B and B having thus been removed, the segments B and B are in a similar way easily removed, as by moving them successively toward the axis of the oval and giving them a slight turn about the vertical axis in order thus to disengage the brim-mold portions thereof from within the acute-angled hat parts H and H The only mold-parts that now remain related to the hat H comprise simply the upper moldpart or hat block A; that remaining part is now disengaged from the crown of the hat. That leaves the hat body substantially as shown in cross-section in Figure 8.

The lowermost portion H for convenience called as above noted the inner-band portion, is

now turned inwardly and upwardly, along the line of its junction with the lower brim portion H into and against the lower part or band portion of the crown H the upper and lower brim portions H and H with their inside unfinished surfaces, being brought into contact with each other or face to face. By reason of the differences of dimensions in the various portions or parts of the mold A-B, the inner-band portion H has been given a size or dimension such as causes it snugly and neatly to fit inside the lower or band portion of the crown H of the hat, the head size of the hat being virtually determined by the inner-band portion E which becomes dependably reinforced by the band portion of the crown E the greater radial dimension of the under-brim portion H as compared with the radial dimension of the upper brim portion H as determined by the corresponding radial dimensions of the frusto-conical surfaces or parts l6-l7 of Figure 1, insuring that the inner band portion H is properly and snugly accommodated within the lower or band portion of the crown H without distortion or straining of any of the portions or parts of the hat.

Thereafter the hat body is inverted and set into a so-called flange, shown in Figure 9 at 28, the flange 28 being made of any suitable material, such as wood, and having an upper surface 28 of suitable shape or configuration or scope snugly and uniformly to receive thereon the brim Ii -4i while its oval-shaped opening 28 is shaped and dimensioned snugly to receive the band portion of the crown H of the hat. The band portion will be seen to include a part of the crown H and also the inturned inner-band portion H aboveonentioned. Into this composite band portion there is now inserted a band block 29 shaped and dimensioned substantially to the ultimate head size which the hat is to have; the band block 29 may be expansible in any suitable way if desired in orc or that the inner-band portion H with the band portion of the crown B may be uniformly and securely clamped between it and the flange 28.

The junction between the under brim portion H and the inner-band portion H is now dampened as by applying steam thereto and is then worked or manipulated, preferably by hand, in order to first loosen up the fur felt fibers at this junction and release them from the possible strain to which they might have been subjected by reversing the angle between the parts H and H (compare Figures 8 and 9) and then to interfelt and hence mold them and the fabric which they represent into the physical relation represented by the angle between the inner-band portion H and the under-brim portion H as viewed in Figure 9. Then the brim is moistened and ironed to cause the under and upper brim portions to be snugly and neatly accommodated to each other and to permit the fur fibers thereof to readjust themselves thereby to insure that the two brim portions and also the molded apex or junction H thereof become accommodated to coincidence or parallelism therebetween.

Thus, it will be seen that I am enabled to mold the fur fibers and hence the different portions of the hat body exactly and precisely into the desired configuration and geometric interrelation and thereby insure the maintenance of such configuration and interr lation.

The band block 29 (Figure 9) is then removed and the hat removed from the flange 28; in crosssection the resultant hat body apears somewhat as is indicated in Figure 10. Then I sew the inner-band portion H to the band portion of the crown H as by a line or row of stitching 30 extending preferably along the upper edge of the inner-band portion E the stitching preventing separation between overlapping or contacting portions of the hat body.

Thereafter, I may curl the composite brim Pi -H if it is desired to have its edge curled, but

such curling, effected in any known or usual way, is effective simply to upturn the outer overlapping or contacting portions of the upper and under brims H -I-I without, however, effecting the outer junction or edge H If, on the other hand, it is also or otherwise desired to shape the brim as by giving it the desired scope or transverse or radial curvature, that may be achieved either preliminarily or finally in the steps above described in connection with Figure 9 in which case the flange 28 has its hat-contacting surfaces, particularly the upper surface 28 suitably curved or shaped, or the hat may be flanged subsequently at any appropriate stage in its completion. The brim, however, need not be rounded by which term is meant the process usually employed in peripherally cutting off the brim in the attempt to finally define its outer boundary; this because of the molded or felted junction or reverse-turn at H (better shown in enlarged section in Figure 11), achieved with geometric precision as above described in detail and dependably maintained by reason of such factors as the mechanical interfitting of the inner-band portion H with the band portion of the crown H and the interfitting of the angle between the inner band portion H and the under brim H with the geometrically equal angle between the band portion of the crown H and the upper brim portion H these parts reinforcing one another and dependably sustaining the molded brim edge H Ultimately the hat is trimmed and completed, as by securing within the crown a suitable sweatband 31 (see Figure 11) and securing on the outside band portion thereof a suitable band or ribbon 32, these parts being applied in usual or known manner.

Thus I am enabled to achieve a unique hat construction having manifold advantages and structural features over heretofore known constructions. More particularly, I am enabled to achieve fine grade or texture and lightness and softness uniformly throughout the entire hat body and yet not detrimentally affect maintenance of shape and appearance. For example, referring to Figure 11, the upper and under brim portions H and H interrelated and molded as above described, reinforce one another and insure maintenance of shape and contour; moreover, the contacting faces of the brim portions H and 1-1 have not been pounced as have the exposed surfaces thereof and thus each brim portion by itself is of greater thickness and hence of greater strength than is ordinarily the case where the .single layer of felt of the brim is pounced on both sides. Thus, each brim portion is per se strongerand the reinforcing action of each upon the other as well as upon other portions of the hat is accentuated.

The closely inter-molded right-angled parts Ii -H and H I-I (see Figure 11) provide a soft yet mechanically self-sustaining and reinforcing structure upwardly from which and laterally from which the crown proper and the brim proper respectively extend, thus in effect forming a dependable foundation or base for these parts and materially contributing toward maintaining the desired shape, contour and appearance thereof.

An important structural feature resulting from my process is, as already above indicated, the geometrically precise edge H (Figure 11) of the brim H H not only is the peripheral contour of this edge, considering it as extending about the vertical axis of the hat, even, nice and uniform,

butalso it is of nice uniformity or evenness in cross-section (see Figure 11) throughout its peripheral extent. These important advantages, contributing materially to the appearance of the hat, flow in large measure from the interfelting or molding of the fur fiber into the reverse-turn of the felt fabric and from the various and particularly the subsequent steps in my process whereby the uniformity of radial width of the brim H is prevented from being detrimentally affected.

Moreover, I enabled also to meet the varying requirements such as arise with change in style of mens hats in a simple and thoroughly effective way but without detracting from the economies of my process or from its advantageous results. For example, should the style of hats change to bring about a smaller or larger width of brim relative to the crown, I need merely correspondingly change the radial extensions of the frusto-conical molding surfaces l6--l'7 of Figure 1; the members A and B, being preferably made of wood, can be readily made available in different relative proportions or shapes of their various parts or portions while differently shaped blocks A and differently shaped brim-molds B may be selectively related to each other, having, of course, due regard for the fitting of the innerband portion H into the inside of the band portion of the crown H of the hat H, and thus I am enabled to provide a wide range of flexibility to meet a wide range of styles and shapes of particularly mens fur felt hats.

Referring now to Figures 12, 13 and 14, I have there indicated possible modifications of certain steps in my process such as might be desirable to employ under certain circumstances. For example, in Figure 12, I effect a mechanical interconnection between the inner-band portion H and the band portion of the crown H of the hat by interposing therebetween a suitable adhesive, preferably in strip form, indicated at 33, the latter conveniently and preferably taking the form of so-called rubber tissue made effective by the application thereto of heat and/or moisture.

I may also find it desirable to effect a mechanical interconnection between the otherwise contacting faces of the upper and lower brim portions H H (Figure 11) and as illustrative of a possible way of achieving such an interconnection, I have indicated in Figure 13 a binder or adhesive 34, conveniently available in sheet form such as the above-mentioned rubber tissue, and having therefore not only a uniform binding or interconnecting action but also a high degree of flexibility, thus not to detrimentally affect the lightness and softness of the resultant structure.

0r, turning now to Figure 14, I may suitably interconnect the inner-band portion H with the band-portion of the crown H and the underbrim portion H with the upper brim portion H as by a suitable binder or flexible adhesive, such as the above-mentioned rubber tissue, extending preferably throughout the extent of the otherwise directly contacting surfaces of these parts, as is clearly indicated in Figure 14. In utilizing a material such as the above-mentioned rubber tissue, particularly in the arrangements shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14, I am enabled to achieve other important advantages and results; the rubber tissue is impervious to moisture and hence is resistant to and preventative of the passage of moisture, such as perspiration, from the interior of the band portion of the hat to the exterior thereof and to the exterior or upper surface of the brim, thus effectively precluding the unsightly and detrimental soiling of the hat body itself as well as of the band or other trimming that is usually applied to the exterior of the band portion of the hat.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided in this invention an art and apparatus and hat construction in which the various objects hereinbefore noted together with many thoroughly practical and desirable advantages are successfully achieved. The apparatus is inexpensive and simple, theprocess is of a thoroughly practical character and may be inexpensively carried on, and the unique hat construction resulting therefrom is not only neat and of permanent excellence of appearance, but also well adapted to meet the varying conditions of hard practical use.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention and as the art herein described might be varie in various parts, all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. The herein described art of hat manufacture which comprises forming a hat bat, interfelting the fibers thereof to shrink the crown portion of the bat onto a scoped crown-block and shaping the band portion of the crown to give it the desired scope, working the fibers of the remain-- ing portion of the bat laterally along the upper scoped surface of a scoped brim-mold and then working and interfelting the fibers about the edge of the brim-mold and working and interfelting the fibers to cause the still remaining portion of the hat bat to be shrunk and felted against the inwardly extending under face of the brim-mold, thereby to form a molded brim edge, removing the hat body from the crown-block and brim-mold, turning the innermost peripheral portions of the under-brim thus formed into the crown of the hat and working the fibers at the region of the turn to mold the inwardly turned portion in place and to give said inwardly turned portion a scope substantially the same as that of said band portion of the crown, and securing the inwardly turned portion to the crown of the hat.

2. The herein described art of hat manufacture which comprises forming a hat bat, interfelting the fibers thereof to shrink the crown portion of the bat into the shape of an oval crown and shaping the band portion of the crown to give it the desired scope, working the fibers of the remaining portion of the bat laterally along the upper scoped surface of a scoped oval brim-mold to form an upper brim portion scoped substantially like the band portion of the crown, and then working and interfelting the fibers about the edge of the brimmold and working and interfelting the fibers to cause the still remaining portion of the hat bat to be shrunk and felted against the inwardly extending under face of the brim-mold to form an under brim portion, thereby to form said upper brim portion and said under brim portion joined by a molded brim edge, shrinking and interfelting the portion of the hat bat extending beyond the under brim thus formed about and against a head-size-determining oval cylinder of such radial dimensions that there is formed an oval inner-band portion of the desired head-size and of less radial dimensions than the radial dimensions of said crown, removing the brim-mold, and turning the said head-size-determining innerband portion into the interior of and against said band portion of the crown of the hat and giving said inner band portion substantially the same scope as the scope of said band portion of the crown.

3. The herein described art of hat manufacture which comprises forming a hat bat, interfelting the fibers thereof to shrink the crown portion of the bat into the shape of a crown, working the fibers of the remaining portion of the bat laterally along the upper surface of a brim-mold and then working and interfelting the fibers about the edge of the brim-mold and working and interfelting the fibers to cause the still remaining portion of the hat bat to be shrunk and felted against the inwardly extending under face of the brim-mold, thereby to form a molded brim edge, shrinking and interfelting the portion of the hat bat extending beyond the under brim thus formed about and against a cylinder of such radial dimensions that there is formed an inner-band portion of less radial dimensions than the radial dimensions of said crown, removing the brim-mold, relating the hat to a flange block, turning the inner-band portion into and against the band portion of the crown, clamping said band portions against the flange block, and working the fibers at the point of inturning of the innerband portion under moisture and heat to set them to the inward turn of the inner-band portion.

4. The herein described art of hat manufacture which comprises forming a hat bat, interfelting the fibers thereof to shrink the crown portion of the hat onto a crown-block, working the fibers of the remaining portion of the bat laterally along the upper surface of a brim-mold and then working and interfelting the fibers about the edge of the brim-mold and working and interfelting the fibers to cause the still remaining portion of the hat bat to be shrunk and felted against the inwardly extending under face of the brim-mold. thereby to form a molded brim edge, removing the hat body from the crown-block and brimmold, securing the inner part of the under brim portion to the band portion of the crown, flanging the upper brim portion and the under brim portion, and finishing the hat. I

5. The herein described art of hat manufacture which comprises forming a hat bat, interfelting the fibers thereof to shrink the crown portion of the hat onto an oval crown-block and to give the crown an oval shape, working the fibers of the remaining portion of the bat laterally along the upper oval surface of an oval brimhold to form an upper oval brim portion, and then working and interfelting the fibers about the edge of the brimmold and working and interfelting the fibers to cause the still remaining portion of the hat bat to be shrunk and felted against the inwardly extending and oval under face of the brim-mold, to form an under oval brim portion shaped substantially to mate with said upper oval brim portion and joined to the latter by a molded brim edge, shaping said upper oval brim portion and said under oval brim portion to substantially the same scope and to lay one brim portion snugly aga nst the other, anchoring the inner part of the under brim adjacent the band portion of the crown of the hat, and finishing the hat body.

6. The herein described art of hat manufacture which comprises forming a hat bat, interfelting the fibers thereof to shrink the crown portion of the hat onto a crown-block, working the fibers of the remaining portion of the bat laterally along the upper surface of a brim-mold and then working and interfelting the fibers about the edge of the brim-mold and working and interfelting the fibers to cause the still remaining portion of the hat bat to be shrunk and felted against the inwardly extending under face of the brim-mold, thereby to form a molded brim edge, ironing the crown and upper and under brim portions respectively against the crown-block and the brim-mold, removing crown-block and brim-mold, securing the under brim portion against movement away from the upper brim portion, and finishing the hat.

7. A soft fur felthatcomprising, in combination, a scoped oval crown portion of self-sustaining flexible felt and having extending laterally therefrom a self-sustaining brim of the same felt comprising a lateral extension of the lower part of the crown portion to form an upper brim portion which is turned downwardly and inwardly upon itself to form an under brim portion, each of said brim portions having substantially the same scope and curvature and mating one with the other, and means holding said brim portions against separating movement whereby said brim portions mutually reinforce one another to maintain said scope and curvatures.

8. A soft fur felt hat comprising, in combination, a scoped oval crown portion of self-sustaining fiexible felt and having extending laterally therefrom a self-sustaining brim of the same felt comprising a lateral extension of the lower part of the crown portion to form an upper brim portion which is turned downwardly and inwardly upon itself to form an under brim portion, each of said brim portions having substantially the same scope and curvatures and mating one with the other, said under brim portion having an inner ring-like portion turned upwardly into and against the band portion of the crown portion of the hat, said inner ring-like portion being of, and determining, the head-size of the hat and having substantially the same scope as said crown portion, and means securing the lastmentioned inturned portion to the band portion of the hat to maintain said portions in mutually reinforcing and sustaining relation.

9. A soft felt hat made of felted flexible material having a self-sustaining brim of double thickness of the said material and integral throughout, the feltable fibers at the edge of the brim being interfelted into the reverse turn of the double brim.

10. A fur felt soft hat comprising a crown portion, an upper brim portion, an under brim portion underlying and laying flat against said upper brim portion, said brim portions forming a composite self-sustaining brim, and an innerband portion, said portions being made of flexible felt throughout and being integral throughout and the fibers at the angular junctions between successive portions being felted and set to conform to the angular relation between the adjacent portions of which they form the junction.

11. The herein described art of hat manufacture which comprises forming a felt hat bat into a crown portion and then forming a brim therefor by interfelting other material of the hat bat against the upper face of a brim-mold and in terfelting and shrinking the material against the lower face of the brim-mold and about the edge along which said faces intersect, and removing the hat body from said brim-mold, thereby to form a uniform and rounded brim edge of double thickness of material.

12. The herein described art of hat manufacture which comprises forming a felt hat bat, shrinking and felting and shaping the upper portion of the bat into the shape of a crown, working the fibers of the remaining portion of the bat laterally along the upper surface of a brimmold to form an upper brim portion and then working and interfelting the fibers about the edge of the brim-mold to form a molded brim edge and working and interfelting the fibers to cause the still remaining portion of the hat bat to be shrunk and felted against the inwardly extending under face of the brim mold to form an under brim portion, whereby said upper and under brim portions are joined by said molded brim edge, removing the brim mold to bring the upper and under brim portions together, and securing the under brim portion against movement away from the upper brim portion, and finishing the hat.

13. A soft felt hat comprising, in combination, a crown portion of self-sustaining flexible felt having extending laterally therefrom a brim of the same felt comprising a lateral extension of the lower part of the crown portion to form an upper brim portion which is turned downwardly and inwardly upon itself to form an under brim portion, said under brim portion having an inner ring-like portion turned upwardly into and against the band portion of the crown portion of the hat, and a material impervious to moisture interposed between said ring-like portion and said band portion.

14. A soft fur felt hat comprising, in combination, a crown portion of self-sustaining flexible felt having extending laterally therefrom a brim of the same felt comprising a lateral extension of the lower part of the crown portion to form an upper brim portion which is turned downwardly and inwardly upon itself to form an under brim portion, said under brim portion having an inner ring-like portion turned upwardly into and against the band portion of the crown portion of the hat, thereby forming a brim of double thickness and a band portion of double thickness, and a material impervious to moisture interposed between said double thicknesses adjacent the junction between the brim and band portion of the hat.

ALFRED E. HODSHON. 

